Game having angular deviation detecting means for tracked object



3,367,657 EANS Feb. 6, 1968 J. M. COBBE AG GAME HAVING ANGULAR D IATI EN ETAL ON DETECTING M FOR TRACKED OBJECT 2 Sheets-Slheet 1 Filed June 16, 1964 FIGJ Feb. 6, 1968 J. M COBBENHAGEN ETAL 3,367,557

GAME HAVING ANGULAR DEVIATION DETECTING MEANS FOR TRACKED OBJECT Filed June l6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,367,657 GAME HAVING ANGULAR DEVIATION DETECT- ING MEANS FOR TRACKED OBJECT Jan M. Cobbenhagen, Alphonsus Cohbenhagen, and Edmond Cobhenhagen, all of Genlhem, Netherlands Filed June 16, 1964, Ser. No. 375,578 Claims priority, application Netherlands, June 17, 1963,

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) The invention relates to a game comprising a track with a number of spaced lanes with objects movable thereover, as is known from practice.

With a game of this kind the objects carry a guiding pin at the bottom which is adapted to extend into a guiding groove in one of the lanes of the track. As the speed of the movable objects can be controlled by persons taking part in the play, races can be held. With these races the possibilities, however, are too limited and have little attraction. When the track has many curves and when the speed of an object is too high it will not cover its distance according to the designated rules due to the centrifugal forces that act on the object.

The present invention has as an object to obviate this lack and provides means for signalling and/or recording of deviations of said objects from the designated rules for covering a certain distance.

By the application of the invention the possibility is given to enlarge the racing possibilities, in that when signalling and/or recording the deviations it is possible to give penalties or advantages that can influence the results of the races.

The invention will now be elucidated referring to the accompanying drawing showing several embodiments of the invention.

FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a track for a game according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 shows a transverse section through a movable object and the track according to a first embodiment of the game according to the invention.

FIGURE 3 shows a corresponding section as in FIG- URE 2 in which the movable object has a position that deviates from the position laid down in the rules.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the track in which a part is present of the movab e object according to the first embodiment of the invention, said object having another deviation than the one in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 shows again a plan view of the track but now according to a second embodiment of the game according to the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section taken through the line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

FIGURE 7 shows diagrammatically an embodiment of an electrical circuitry for use with a game according to the invention.

According to the drawing the track 1 consists of a plate-shaped body with a substantially smooth upper surface with a number of spaced lanes 2 over which movable objects can move. The track can be substantially horizontal or have dilferent levels, if necessary, whereas on the surface of the track several conditions can be given if desired. The lanes 2 have in the illustrated embodiment of the track each a guiding groove 4, of which only two are shown in FIG. 1. A guiding pin 5 is adapted to extend into this guiding groove 4, said pin being attached to the bottom of each of the objects 3. The objects 3 can be toy race cars or model race cars in a suitable embodiment of the invention, said race cars being electrically driven and comprising at the bottom thereof, current collectors 6 that can take off current from the current conductors 7 that are arranged in the Patented Feb. 6, 1968 upper surface of the track 1 on both sides of the guiding groove 4.

According to the invention the guiding pin 5 is made from insulating material, and attached thereto is a contact plate 8 which consists of electrically conducting material. This contact plate 8 can move together with the object 3, so that the plate moves through the hollow or slot 9 that is formed in the track 1 and connects to the guiding groove 4. The transverse section of the hollow 9 substantially corresponds in shape with that of the contact plate, whereas substantially U-shaped current conductors 10 have been arranged at the ends of the cross section of the hollow 9.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is as follows:

When the movable object deviates from the designated way of covering its distance over the lane 2 of the track 1, in that the object leaves the position as shown in FIG. 2, the contact plate 8 makes an electrical connection between the current conductors 10, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This has a result, that the deviation is signalled and/or recorded by means of a circuit as shown in FIG. 7. In this figure it is noted that the transformer T feeds the current conductors 7 and 7 via the rheostats 11 and 11, said conductors being adapted to the driving of the objects. To the transformer T are connected the current conductors 10 and that can co-operate with the contact plates 3 and 8'. In the circuits of the current conductors 10, 10' are included the signalling and/or recording devices P which come into operation when the contact plates 8, 8 make electrical connection between the current conductors 10, 10'.

In a second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the means for signalling and/or recording the deviations of the objects comprise a barrier 12 that is placed along one or both sides of each lane 2, said barrier closing an electrical contact when engaged by a movable object. The barrier 12 comprises an evenly distributed number of uprights 13 along the lane 2, which uprights carry a girder 14 that extends substantially parallel to the lane 2, each upright 13 having a contact 15 that is adapted to cooperate with a. counter contact 16 placed on the girder 14 opposite the uprights 13, whereas the contacts of the uprights are electrically connected by the conductor 17 and the contacts of the girder are electrically connected by the conductor 1.8.

The operation of this embodiment is analogous to the one in FIGURES 2 through 7, in which, however, the current conductors 10, 10 co-operate with the contact plates 8, 8' in FIG. 7 are replaced by the contacts 15 and 16 that close an electrical connection when engaged by a movable object and close again a circuit in which the signalling and/or recording device P, P is included. In this way it is again possible to signalize and/or record each deviation of an object 3 from the designated mode of travel for covering a certain distance over a lane 2 of the track 1.

Though the invention provides the use of toyor model race cars as movable objects, model ships, model aircraft, model horses, etc. can be used. It is obvious, that by the invention the possibilities are enlarged for play as meant in this application, in that the signalling and/or recording of deviations allows that penalties and/or advantages can be given to the players of the game, by which the game is made more attractive.

The invention is not restricted to the described or shown embodiments but encompasses all possible variants.

What we claim is:

1. A game comprising a body constituting a track, an object movable along a path on said track, said object having a rest position and a particular angular attitude in said position, said track having a guide groove defining said path for the object, said object including a guide pin of electrically insulating material extending in said guide groove, the guide pin being received in the guide groove with clearance and thereby enabling the object to vary its attitude as it traverses its path according to its speed and direction conductor means on said track adjacent said guide groove for the supply of electrical energy to propel the object, means on the object for contacting the conductor means, sensing means independent of the conductor means supported from said track for being contacted by the object when it undergoes a prescribed amount of angular deviation of attitude from its at rest position, and electrical circuit means separate and apart from the conductor means and normally open and adapted for being closed when the sensing means is contacted, to indicate such angular deviation of the object.

2. A game according to claim 1 wherein the movable object is a toy race car.

3. A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises a fixed member on said track, a movable member mounted on the fixed member, and switch means associated with said members for being closed when the movable member is moved a predetermined amount, said movable member being disposed adjacent the path of the object for being contacted thereby when the object undergoes said angular deviation.

4. A game as claimed in claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises a contact on the fixed member, and

a counter-contact supporting the movable member and pivotably mounted on the fixed member such that movement of the movable member through said predetermined amount causes said contact and the counter-contact to touch one another.

5. A game according to claim 1, including a plurality of objects movable over a plurality of paths, and wherein the sensing means comprises a barrier which is placed along one side of each path, the electrical circuit means including a normally open switch, said barrier closing said switch when engaged by a movable object.

6. A game according to claim 5, wherein the barrier comprises at least one upright along the path, each of which uprights carry a girder that extends substantially parallel to the path, said switch including first and second contacts, each upright carrying one of said contacts, the other contact being a counter contact placed on the girder opposite the upright, the contacts of the uprights being electrically connected by one conductor and the contacts of the girder are electrically connected by a second conductor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,631,853 3/1953 Haynes et al 273-8o 3,091,457 5/1963 Mentzer et al. 273-54 2,148,828 2/1939 Myers. 3,159,109 12/1964 Braverman.

ANTON O. OIECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GAME COMPRISING A BODY CONSTITUTING A TRACK, AN OBJECT MOVABLE ALONG A PATH ON SAID TRACK, SAID OBJECT HAVING A REST POSITION AND A PARTICULAR ANGULAR ATTITUDE IN SAID POSITION, SAID TRACK HAVING A GUIDE GROOVE DEFINING SAID PATH FOR THE OBJECT, SAID OBJECT INCLUDING A GUIDE PIN OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL EXTENDING IN SAID GUIDE GROOVE, THE GUIDE PIN BEING RECEIVED IN THE GUIDE GROOVE WITH CLEARANCE AND THEREBY ENABLING THE OBJECT TO VARY ITS ATTITUDE AS IT TRAVERSES ITS PATH ACCORDING TO ITS SPEED AND DIRECTION CONDUCTOR MEANS ON SAID TRACK ADJACENT SAID GUIDE GROOVE FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO PROPEL THE OBJECT, MEANS ON THE OBJECT FOR CONTACTING THE CONDUCTOR MEANS, SENSING MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE CONDUCTOR MEANS SUPPORTED FROM SAID TRACK FOR BEING CONTACTED BY THE OBJECT WHEN IT UNDERGOES A PRESCRIBED AMOUNT OF ANGULAR DEVIATION OF ATTITUDE FROM ITS AT REST POSITION, AND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MEANS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE CONDUCTOR MEANS AND NORMALLY OPEN AND ADAPTED FOR BEING CLOSED WHEN THE SENSING MEANS IS CONTACTED, TO INDICATE SUCH ANGULAR DEVIATION OF THE OBJECT. 